Bone weathering in a Mediterranean climate region: An experimental case study from Doñana National Park (Spain).
Authors: Pizarro-Monzo Marcos, Domingo Laura, Negro Juan José, Cantero Enrique, Martín-Perea David M, Domingo M Soledad
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Bone Weathering in Mediterranean Climates Understanding how bones degrade in different environments matters across multiple equine disciplines—from forensic investigations of carcass disposal to interpreting archaeological remains at historical sites. Researchers at Doñana National Park exposed ungulate bones (including horse tibiae and skulls) to natural Mediterranean conditions over nearly six years, systematically documenting weathering progression alongside detailed meteorological and soil data. Horse bones, as the heaviest taxa studied, progressed only to weathering stage 1 by the final observation, confirming that larger animals weather more slowly than smaller species—a finding consistent with previous research in other climatic zones. The Mediterranean setting produced intermediate weathering rates between semi-arid tropical savannas and temperate climates, whilst structural anatomy significantly influenced weathering patterns, with skulls showing distinctly different modification profiles compared to long bones. For practitioners involved in equine forensics, archaeological work, or environmental assessment of equine remains, this study provides crucial Mediterranean climate calibration data, establishing that weathering timelines cannot be directly extrapolated from research conducted in fundamentally different climates and highlighting the need for region-specific baseline data when estimating bone exposure duration.
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Practical Takeaways
- •This study is primarily relevant to paleontologists, archaeologists, and forensic scientists rather than equine practitioners; it has minimal direct application to farriery, veterinary practice, or equine care.
- •The finding that larger animals weather more slowly may be tangentially interesting for understanding equine skeletal biology in extreme exposure scenarios, but lacks practical clinical relevance.
- •The research contributes to taphonomic calibration for Mediterranean fossil assemblages but does not address living equine health, performance, or welfare.
Key Findings
- •After 6 years of exposure in Mediterranean climate, bones reached weathering stages 1-2, an intermediate progression between semi-arid and temperate climates.
- •Horse tibia (heaviest taxon) progressed only to weathering stage 1, confirming that weathering rate is slower in larger animals.
- •Sus scrofa skull exhibited different weathering modifications than tibias, likely due to differences in bone structural anatomy.
- •Local meteorological conditions and soil composition were characterized as potential factors influencing weathering progression in Mediterranean settings.